PRAYERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Prayer, the lifting of the mind and heart to God, plays an essential role in the life of a devout Catholic. Without a life of prayer, we risk losing the life of grace in our souls, grace that comes to us first in baptism and later chiefly through the other sacraments and through prayer itself (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2565). Through prayer we enter into the presence of the Godhead dwelling in us. It is prayer which allows us to adore God by acknowledging His almighty power; it is prayer that allows us to bring our thanks, our petitions, and our sorrow for sin before our Lord and God.

To the left (under the highlighted word PRAYERS), you can see several links that will take you to various prayers. We have divided these prayers into sections: Basic Catholic Prayers, Rosary Prayers, Novena Prayers,Prayers Composed by Saints, and Divine Mercy Prayers.

Drawing from the words of Christ, the writings of Scripture and the saints, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church supplies us with prayers grounded in Christian tradition. Further, our informal, spontaneous prayers—both vocal and meditative—are informed by and shaped by those prayers taught by the Church, prayers that are the wellspring for the prayer life of all Catholics. Without the Holy Spirit speaking through the Church and through her saints, we would not know how to pray as we ought (CCC, 2650).

As the prayers themselves witness, the Church teaches us that we should pray not only directly to God, but also to those who are close to God, those who have the power to intercede upon our behalf. Indeed, we pray to the angels to help and watch over us; we pray to the saints in Heaven to ask their intercession and assistance; we pray to the Blessed Mother to enlist her aid, to ask her to beg her Son to hear our prayers. Further, we pray not only on our own behalf, but also on the behalf of those souls in Purgatory and of those brothers on earth who are in need. Prayer unites us to God; in doing so, we are united to the other members of the Mystical Body.

This communal aspect of prayer is reflected not only in the nature of Catholic prayers, but also in the very words of the prayers themselves. In reading many of the basic formulaic prayers, it will become apparent that, for the Catholic, prayer is often meant to be prayed in the company of others. Christ himself encouraged us to pray together: "For wherever two or more are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).

Keeping in mind the aforementioned characteristics of Catholic vocal prayer will enable you to appreciate and to understand the prayers included in the links. While these prayers are only a sample of all the vocal prayers that have been composed, they will illustrate the different kinds of Catholic prayers that help to form the treasury of prayers in the Church. Other forms of prayer include contemplative prayer and meditation.